Charl Schwartzel Takes Home $4.75M Jackpot After He and His Team are Victorious at Inaugural LIV Golf Series Event

Former Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and his team today won the inaugural LIV Golf Series event, which was held outside of London

Schwartzel took home a total of $4.75 million jackpot in the process as the winner of the event got $4 million and he got another $750,000 from his team’s victory, which was a $3 million prize split four ways.

The event was the richest in golf history, although there are still seven more events that will be giving the same prize money.

Schwartzel won the event with a 7-under total of 203, holding off his fellow teammate Hennie Du Plessis.

Following the victory, Schwartzel admitted, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we could play for that much money in golf.”

The win is Schwartzel’s first in a professional event since 2016 as he hadn’t won a PGA or European tour event since then.

Schwartzel was one of 17 golfers who the PGA Tour dropped the hammer on and suspended after the 3-day event began on Thursday.

In a letter addressed to PGA Tour players, commissioner Jay Monahan said, “As you know, players listed below did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights releases – or did not apply for releases at all – and their participation in the Saudi Golf League/LIV Golf event is in violation of our Tournament Regulations.”

“The same fate holds true for any other players who participate in future Saudi Golf League events in violation of our Regulations,” Monahan warned.

Schwartzel was one of several golfers who had already resigned their PGA tour memberships including Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Turk Pettit, and Lee Westwood.

Phil Mickelson was among those who hadn’t resigned as he held lifetime eligibility to the PGA Tour and he was defiant about his status.

Mickelson said on Wednesday that he didn’t plan on quitting the Tour as he had earned the right to participate as he has “a lifetime membership which he has earned, and worked hard for.”

The LIV series responded with a statement where they called the move by the PGA tour “vindictive” and said that “it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members.”